Spend a day outside of Ushuaia, discovering the natural wonders of the Tierra del Fuego province and learning about the culture and history of the region. On a catamaran cruise, you’ll go island-hopping through the famous Beagle Channel and marvel at the stunning flora and fauna, including penguins and sea lions. Then visit Estancia Harberton, the oldest ranch in the Argentinian Tierra del Fuego.

Recent Photos of This Tour

What You Can Expect

Penguin Island and Harberton Ranch Day Trip from Ushuaia

Leave Ushuaia behind and head for the water! Board a beautiful catamaran and sail through Ushuaia Bay into the center of the Beagle Channel. Here, you'll weave through the islands of the Alicia Archipelago, an area inhabited by a large colony of imperial cormorants. You’ll have a good chance to see local wildlife, including the majestic black browed albatross, the scua (a type of gull) and the funny-looking steamer duck.

Your journey continues to Les Eclaireurs Archipelago, where you’ll visit Seal Island, home to two playful species of sea lions. Then cruise to another island nearby to have a look at the classic Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse. This 74-foot (23-meter) "scout" guards the sea entrance to Ushuaia. It was in this very spot that the Mt Cervantes tragically sank in 1930.

You'll then cruise the waters of Port Almanza (on the Argentina side) and Williams Port (on the Chile side). Get ready for some fun as you enter McKinley Pass, heading directly to Martillo Island to observe a colony of adorable Magellanic penguins at work and play. Approximately 18 inches (46cm) tall and 8 pounds (3.6kg) in weight, these small aquatic birds are members of a species that lives only in the far southern coastal region of South America and the Falkland Islands.

Your sailing excursion continues as you head to Estancia Harberton, a 19th-century ranch, where you'll enjoy a short tour and learn about the historical settlement. At the end of your walk, you'll hop on a bus with your guide and travel back to Ushuaia.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful tour: comfortable boat, great sightings of penguins and southern sea lions. Estancia Harberton was wonderful: awesome museum, great history tour of the ranch. Don't believe guide books that say the lunch is US$30. It was approximately US $10.

I really enjoyed sailing the Beagle channel and seeing the penguins and sea lions. After we had an excursion around the Haberton Ranch, and we got to see a very interesting museum and marine fauna research facility.
However, I would like to get closer to the penguins. We did not get to go on the island where they were, so we had to watch from the boat. Bring your lens with a big focal length if you want pictures.

After completing the booking we received our vouchers by email. Reconfirming the tour by email was easy. The following morning we had an answer back with the confirmation of the tour. The catamaran was big enough and we were lucky that there were only a few people on the ship, plenty of space outside to make pictures and enjoy the different sceneries. Bird Island and Pinguïn Island were amazing! Harberton Ranch was okay, the story behind it was more interesting than the ranch itselve. I would highly recommend this tour!

Although you don't go off the ship on Martillo island, the whole trip, and the views are unforgettable. The tours in Estancia Harberton were very interesting, and with enough time to enjoy the whole trip.

The tour is not well advertised in terms of what was offered. We were inside a heated luxury boat and had the option of a personal photographer for each of the sites. We were also left at the Estancia Harberton where we saw an old English settlement and had a scenic bus ride back! Must do!

This was a great tour that I'd highly recommend for anyone going to Ushuaia. The boat was well equipped and designed and the guides were knowledgeable.

Details

Inclusions

Catamaran trip

Local guide

National park fee

Exclusions

Food and drinks

Gratuities (optional)

Port taxes

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Additional info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
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Local operator information

Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Voucher. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.

Return details
Returns to original departure point at approximately 6pm

Language Options

This tour/activity is available in the following language options:

English - Guide

Spanish - Guide

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